Air conditioning apparatus for vehicle

ABSTRACT

An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle may include a Peltier module and a cooling core installed in an HVAC (heating ventilating and air conditioning) unit, the HVAC unit being provided with a blower, a nitrogen tank storing liquid nitrogen therein, a nitrogen line passing through the cooling core, wherein a first end of the nitrogen line may be connected to the nitrogen tank, and a second end of the nitrogen line fluid-communicates with an outside, a nitrogen evaporator provided on the nitrogen line, the nitrogen evaporator evaporating the liquid nitrogen into nitrogen gas, and a main cooling water line circulating water through the nitrogen evaporator, the Peltier module and a water pump in sequence.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0075474, filed on Jul. 11, 2012, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to air conditioning apparatuses for vehicles and, more particularly, to an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle which can embody cooling and heating systems of the vehicle without using a refrigerant.

2. Description of Related Art

General air conditioning apparatuses for vehicles are apparatuses which appropriately control air conditions, such as the temperature and humidity, of a passenger compartment depending on variations in the ambient environment to meet the demands of a user, thus providing the user with pleasant conditions. As shown in FIG. 1, such a conventional air conditioning apparatus includes a compressor 1, a condenser 2, an expansion valve 3 and an evaporator 4.

The conventional air conditioning apparatus uses a refrigerant to cool air in the passenger compartment and uses a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heater to heat air in the passenger compartment. A compressor 1 or the like is therefore required by the air conditioning apparatus in order to generate mechanical power and convert electricity into mechanical energy and carry out the cooling and heating of the air. This engenders such disadvantages as mechanical loss or deterioration in quality, which may be caused by problems with the mechanical parts or result from leakage of the refrigerant.

The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle which can embody the cooling and heating systems of a vehicle without using a refrigerant, thus mitigating the problems of deteriorating quality and the environmental pollution that are associated with the use of the refrigerant, and which can minimize the power loss when cooling or heating, thereby improving the gas mileage of the vehicle.

In an aspect of the present invention, an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, may include a Peltier module and a cooling core installed in an HVAC (heating ventilating and air conditioning) unit, the HVAC unit being provided with a blower, a nitrogen tank storing liquid nitrogen therein, a nitrogen line passing through the cooling core, wherein a first end of the nitrogen line is connected to the nitrogen tank, and a second end of the nitrogen line fluid-communicates with an outside, a nitrogen evaporator provided on the nitrogen line, the nitrogen evaporator evaporating the liquid nitrogen into nitrogen gas, and a main cooling water line circulating water through the nitrogen evaporator, the Peltier module and a water pump in sequence.

The liquid nitrogen passes though the nitrogen evaporator and then through the cooling core in sequence.

The air conditioning apparatus may further include a nitrogen valve provided on the nitrogen line between the nitrogen tank and the nitrogen evaporator, the nitrogen valve controlling a flow rate of liquid nitrogen supplied to the nitrogen evaporator.

The air conditioning apparatus may further include an auxiliary cooling water line connected to a portion of the main cooling water line positioned between the water pump and the nitrogen evaporator, the auxiliary cooling water line forming a closed circulation line, an external cooler or a battery cooling line connected to the auxiliary cooling water line, and a cooling water valve provided on the auxiliary cooling water line, the cooling water valve controlling circulation of cooling water along the auxiliary cooling water line.

The external cooler and the battery cooling line are connected to the auxiliary cooling water line in parallel.

The air conditioning apparatus may further include a controller controlling operation of the nitrogen valve, the cooling water valve and the Peltier module.

The HVAC unit may include an inlet port into which an outside air is drawn, and an outlet port through which air is discharged into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the blower is installed adjacent to the inlet port, and the Peltier module and the cooling core are installed adjacent to the outlet port.

The cooling core is disposed between the blower and the Peltier module.

An air conditioning apparatus according to the present invention is configured such that a refrigerant is not required, thus mitigating the problems of a deterioration in quality and the environmental pollution that are associated with the use of a refrigerant. Further, power consumption and power loss when cooling or heating can be minimized, thereby improving the gas mileage of the vehicle.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing a conventional air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the cooling mode of an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views respectively illustrating heating mode and dehumidification mode of the air conditioning apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Hereinafter, an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioning apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a Peltier module 13, a cooling core 14, a nitrogen tank 15, a nitrogen line 16, a nitrogen evaporator 17 and a main cooling water line 19. The Peltier module 13 and the cooling core 14 are installed in an HVAC unit (12, a heating ventilating and air conditioning unit), which has a blower 11. Liquid nitrogen is stored in the nitrogen tank 15. The nitrogen line 16 is configured such that a first end thereof is connected to the nitrogen tank 15, and a second end thereof communicates with the outside after passing through the cooling core 14. The nitrogen evaporator 17 is provided on the nitrogen line 16 and evaporates the liquid nitrogen into nitrogen gas. The main cooling water line 19 circulates through the nitrogen evaporator 17, the Peltier module 13 and the water pump 18.

The Peltier module 13 is a thermoelement in which upon electricity being supplied thereto, one end thereof is cooled while the other end is heated. This thermoelement is referred to as a Peltier element.

The cooling core 14 is an auxiliary evaporator which secondarily cools nitrogen gas that has been primarily cooled by the nitrogen evaporator 17.

The HVAC unit 12 has an inlet port 12 a into which the outside air is drawn, and an outlet port 12 b which discharges air into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The blower 11, the cooling core 14 and the Peltier module 13 are installed in the HVAC unit 12 such that they are arranged from the inlet port 12 a to the outlet port 12 b in the sequence of either the blower 11, the cooling core 14 and the Peltier module 13 or of the blower 11, the Peltier module 13 and the cooling core 14.

The main cooling water line 19 is a closed circuit line which circulates through the nitrogen evaporator 17, the Peltier module 13 and the water pump 18. The nitrogen evaporator 17 is disposed ahead of the Peltier module 13, and the water pump 18 is disposed behind the Peltier module 13.

Liquid nitrogen that is supplied from the nitrogen tank 15 into the nitrogen evaporator 17 is phase-transformed into nitrogen gas by being subjected to a primary heat absorption process while passing through the nitrogen evaporator 17. At this time, cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 that is passing through the nitrogen evaporator 17 is cooled.

Nitrogen gas in the nitrogen line 16 that has passed the nitrogen evaporator 17 undergoes a second heat absorption process while passing through the cooling core 14. During this process, outside air that has passed through the blower 11 is primarily cooled.

Cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 that has been cooled by the nitrogen evaporator 17 is heated while passing through the Peltier module 13. Simultaneously, outside air that has been primarily cooled by passing through the cooling core 14 is secondarily cooled while passing through the Peltier module 13 and then is discharged into the passenger compartment by the outlet port 12 b.

Cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 that has been heated when passing through the Peltier module 13 circulates along the closed circuit path in which it is cooled when passing through the nitrogen evaporator 17.

The air conditioning apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention further includes a nitrogen valve 21, an auxiliary cooling water line 22, an external cooler 23 or a battery cooling line 24, a cooling water valve 25 and a controller 26. The nitrogen valve 21 is provided on the nitrogen line 16 between the nitrogen tank 15 and the nitrogen evaporator 17 to control the flow rate of nitrogen supplied to the nitrogen evaporator 17. The auxiliary cooling water line 22 is a closed circuit line and is connected to the main cooling water line 19 between the water pump 18 and the nitrogen evaporator 17. The external cooler 23 or the battery cooling line 24 is connected to the auxiliary cooling water line 22. The cooling water valve 25 is provided on the auxiliary cooling water line 22 to control the circulation of cooling water along the auxiliary cooling water line 22. The controller 26 controls the operation of the nitrogen valve 21, the cooling water valve 25 and the Peltier module 13.

In heating mode, the Peltier module 13 cools the cooling water and simultaneously heats the air. Therefore, cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 that has passed through the Peltier module 13 is in a cooled state.

Cooling water that has been put in the cooled state is supplied into the auxiliary cooling water line 22 rather than directly circulating through the main cooling water line 19. Then, the cooling water is supplied to a radiator which is the external cooler 23 and is used to cool cooling water that is supplied to a water jacket of an engine. In the case of an EV (Electric Vehicle) or HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), the cooling water of the auxiliary cooling water line 22 may be supplied into the battery cooling line 24 and used to cool a battery module whose heat has increased to a high temperature.

Cooling water that is heated while passing through the external cooler 23 or the battery cooling line 24 is supplied to the Peltier module 13 via the auxiliary cooling water line 22 and the main cooling water line 19. The cooling water that is re-cooled while passing through the Peltier module 13 re-circulates along the closed path.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the external cooler 23 and the battery cooling line 24 may be connected to the auxiliary cooling water line 22 in parallel.

Hereinafter, the operation and effect of the air conditioning apparatus of the present invention will be explained.

FIG. 2 illustrates cooling mode. In this mode, the cooling water valve 25 is turned off so that the main cooling water line 19 is not connected to the auxiliary cooling water line 22.

In the initial stages of cooling mode, it is not easy to rapidly cool heated air in the passenger compartment using only the cooling operation of the Peltier module 13. Therefore, cooling water which is at a low-temperature is required to rapidly cool air which is discharged into the passenger compartment.

To achieve the above purpose, in cooling mode, the nitrogen valve 21 is turned on so that liquid nitrogen is supplied from the nitrogen tank 15 into the nitrogen evaporator 17 and is phase-transformed into nitrogen gas by the primary heat absorption process while passing through the nitrogen evaporator 17. Cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 that passes through the nitrogen evaporator 17 is cooled.

Nitrogen gas in the nitrogen line 16 that has passed through the nitrogen evaporator 17 passes through the cooling core 14, thus undergoing a secondary heat absorption process. During this process, outside air that has passed through the blower 11 is primarily cooled.

Cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 that has been cooled while passing through the nitrogen evaporator 17 is heated when passing through the Peltier module 13. Simultaneously, outside air that has been primarily cooled while passing through the cooling core 14 is secondarily cooled when passing through the Peltier module 13 and then discharged into the passenger compartment by the outlet port 12 b.

Therefore, the air which is discharged into the passenger compartment is primarily cooled while passing through the cooling core 14 and is secondarily cooled when passing through the Peltier module 13. As a result, the temperature of the passenger compartment can be decreased to a desired level in a short amount of time.

If rapid cooling is required, the performance of the cooling core 14 must be enhanced. For this, the nitrogen valve 21 is controlled such that the flow rate of nitrogen supplied to the nitrogen evaporator 17 is increased. On the other hand, in a normal cooling section, the nitrogen valve 21 is controlled such that the flow rate of nitrogen is minimized.

The Peltier module 13 is controlled by selecting a voltage that can maximize the cooling efficiency of the air conditioning apparatus. The temperature of the cooling water is controlled by adjusting the flow rate of nitrogen depending on the target temperature of air supplied into the passenger compartment.

Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, cooling is conducted in the optimum efficiency section of the Peltier module 13, thus minimizing power consumption. Moreover, a mechanical part such as a compressor which causes high power loss is not used in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention so that if the vehicle is an EV or HEV, the gas mileage can be markedly enhanced.

Furthermore, the present invention does not use a refrigerant, thus mitigating the problem of environmental pollution.

FIG. 3 illustrates heating mode. In this mode, the nitrogen valve 21 is turned off so that liquid nitrogen is not supplied from the nitrogen tank 15 to the nitrogen evaporator 17. The cooling water valve 25 is turned on so that the main cooling water line 19 is connected to the auxiliary cooling water line 22.

In heating mode, power is supplied to the Peltier module 13, so that the generated heat is transferred to air that has passed through the blower 11, thus heating the air. Simultaneously, the cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 is cooled. Thus, cooling water of the main cooling water line 19 that has passed through the Peltier module 13 is in a cooled state.

The cooled cooling water is supplied into the auxiliary cooling water line 22 by the operation of the water pump 18. Cooling water of the auxiliary cooling water line 22 is supplied to the radiator that is the external cooler 23, thus additionally cooling the cooling water that is supplied to the water jacket of the engine. In the case of an EV or HEV, the cooling water of the auxiliary cooling water line 22 may be supplied into the battery cooling line 24 and used to cool a battery module which has been heated to a high temperature.

Cooling water that was heated while passing through the external cooler 23 or the battery cooling line 24 is re-supplied to the Peltier module 13 through the main cooling water line 19. The cooling water that is re-cooled while passing through the Peltier module 13 re-circulates along the above-mentioned closed path.

The flow rate of cooling water that is supplied to the auxiliary cooling water line 22 can be controlled by controlling the cooling water valve 25 in such a way that thermal efficiency can be increased.

Therefore, the air conditioning apparatus of the present invention can heat the passenger compartment without using a PTC heater which causes high power loss, thereby markedly enhancing the gas mileage.

FIG. 4 illustrates humidification mode in which air is cooled and then heated. In this mode, both the nitrogen valve 21 and the cooling water valve 25 are turned on.

Thus, a small amount of nitrogen is supplied to the cooling core 14 so that air is cooled. Thereafter, the air is heated by the Peltier module 13. Here, the air is humidified by the cooling core 14.

As described above, an air conditioning apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured such that a refrigerant is not required, thus mitigating the problems of a deterioration in quality and the environmental pollution that occur in combination with the use of a refrigerant. Further, the power consumption and power loss when cooling or heating can be minimized, thereby improving the gas mileage of the vehicle.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner” and “outer” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a Peltier module and a cooling core installed in an HVAC (heating ventilating and air conditioning) unit, the HVAC unit being provided with a blower; a nitrogen tank storing liquid nitrogen therein; a nitrogen line passing through the cooling core, wherein a first end of the nitrogen line is connected to the nitrogen tank, and a second end of the nitrogen line fluid-communicates with an outside; a nitrogen evaporator provided on the nitrogen line, the nitrogen evaporator evaporating the liquid nitrogen into nitrogen gas; and a main cooling water line circulating water through the nitrogen evaporator, the Peltier module and a water pump in sequence.
 2. The air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the liquid nitrogen passes though the nitrogen evaporator and then through the cooling core in sequence.
 3. The air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including a nitrogen valve provided on the nitrogen line between the nitrogen tank and the nitrogen evaporator, the nitrogen valve controlling a flow rate of liquid nitrogen supplied to the nitrogen evaporator.
 4. The air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further including: an auxiliary cooling water line connected to a portion of the main cooling water line positioned between the water pump and the nitrogen evaporator, the auxiliary cooling water line forming a closed circulation line; an external cooler or a battery cooling line connected to the auxiliary cooling water line; and a cooling water valve provided on the auxiliary cooling water line, the cooling water valve controlling circulation of cooling water along the auxiliary cooling water line.
 5. The air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the external cooler and the battery cooling line are connected to the auxiliary cooling water line in parallel.
 6. The air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further including a controller controlling operation of the nitrogen valve, the cooling water valve and the Peltier module.
 7. The air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the HVAC unit includes an inlet port into which an outside air is drawn, and an outlet port through which air is discharged into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the blower is installed adjacent to the inlet port, and the Peltier module and the cooling core are installed adjacent to the outlet port.
 8. The air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the cooling core is disposed between the blower and the Peltier module. 